Improvement in water-wheel



To all whom t may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

EDI/VIN ADAMS, OF ORELEWA, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WHEEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 85,892, dated January 19,1869.

Be it known that I, EDwiN ADAMs, of Orelewa, county of Butte, State of California, have invented an Improved VVater-Wheel; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention or improvements withoutfurther invention or experiment.

rEhe nature of my invention is to provide an improved water-wheel with sliding buckets, for the purpose of utilizing the. power of a small stream of water having a great force or pressure; and consists of a wheel turning on a horizontal or vertical axis.

Around the axis are made water-chambers, in which water is admitted through pipes, to force out the buckets through openings in the rim of the wheel, from which position they are withdrawn by friction-rollers passing over the inner edges of involutes at the sides of the wheel.

The water, as it enters the chambers, acts on a series of pistons corresponding with and at the ends of the buckets, but having an area enough larger than that of the buckets to insure their prompt action.

To more fully illustrate and describe my invention, reference is had to theaccompanying drawings and the letters marked thereon, of which- Figure lis a side elevation, side sectional elevation.

Similar letters of reference in each of the figures indicate like parts.

A A represent a suitable frame or support, which may be constructed of wood or metal. To the cross-pieces B B is attached a circular trough, C, one end of which is opened for the free escape of the water, and the other closed, with the exception of a small hole, D, for the introduction of a pipe, through which the water from the reservoir passes to the wheel.

The wheel is constructed with a continuous broad rim, D', and so that it may revolve without friction on the edge of the circular trough and allow free action of the water beneath the surface, and is braced by four or. more wide radial arms, E E E E, which extend from the hub to the inner surface of the rim. Between and Fig. 2 a

these radial arms are short flat hollow arms F F F F, in which slide the buckets. The buckets G G Gr G are ilat and of considerable thickness from their inner ends to a shoulder, H, at which point are placed projecting axles, to which are attached friction-rollers II. From the shoulder the blade or bucket is made still less in thickness, Which allows it to pass through a slot, J, made transversely in the rim of the wheel, and when forced out it is arrested by the shoulder above described, thus preventing the bucket from striking the inner surface of the trough, within which it moves nearly water-tight.

Around the axis of revolution are made chambers K K, which are protected by the plates L L, through which the axle or drivingshaft M passes, having its bearings on the frame. One end of this shaft is provided with a driving-pulley or other means of transmitting motion.

Pipes O O extend through the rim of the wheel, immediately behind the buckets, into the chambers between the braces 'and hollow arms, and as the water is admitted from the reservoir into the trough beneath the frame it passes through the pipes into the chambers and forces out the buckets, and by the pressure of the surplus water not received into the pipes and chambers the wheel is caused to turn.

For withdrawing the projecting ends of the buckets or blades, so that the free rotation of the wheel will not be intercepted, two curved pieces or cams, l? l?, are attached to the sides of the frame, whose curves are involutes, and against which the friction-rollers attached to each bucket operate, and which Withdraw each bucket or blade successively, so as to pass the closed end of the trough C, after which they are immediately forced out again by the pressure of the water passing through the pipes O.

I do not wish to confine myself to the form in which the wheel turns on a horizontal shaft,

as, if the pressure is great, the friction of 'ther axle or shaft in its boxes will be enormous.

To obviate this I allow the wheel to revolve in a horizontalplane, and as the water acts only one-fourth the circumference of the circle, where four buckets are used I use two troughs, O, one opposite the other, and each extending one-fourth the circumference, the two taking` Water at the Sametime. Two sets of involutes and being forced in, to pass the head of the will also be used to return the buckets. trough, by cams P P acting against the rollers Having thus described my invention, what I I, attached to the shoulders H H, the several I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patparts being constructed and arranged, and opent, iserating together, substantially as described.

The above-described Water-Wheel, having In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my sliding buckets G G working' in a` trough or hand and seal.

channel, C, said buckets being forced out at EDWIN ADAMS. [L. s.] the proper point by the pressure of the Water Witnesses: admitted through pipes O O to central chain- C. W. M. SMITH,

bers K K, and operating in hollow arms F F, J. L. BOONE. 

